Meanwhile, on the Highway
by Kitten Crusader
Summary: In which Aeolus is humiliated and Thetis bears witness to it. Ashe is not someone to be taken lightly. Short oneshot.


"Wow, Aeolus. Do I even want to know?"

Aeolus probably said something like "_no, you really don't, now find my pants for me" _or "_stop laughing, fool, and help me get these ropes off" _or maybe just "_oh God, fuck everything." _Whatever it was, it sounded like _mgmmfmgmf _around the gag in his mouth, and it was really anyone's guess what he was trying to communicate.

Based on the length of the statement, it was probably "_oh God, fuck everything."_

Thetis put his hands in his pockets, grinning down at Aeolus. "Should I be concerned for your safety, or did you just make Atlas angry again?"

"Hffmgh," went Aeolus.

Glancing around the highway with a thoughtful look on his face, Thetis frowned at a distant explosion. "Or is this that Ashe girl's fault? You know, for all you people made fun of her, she's been kicking a lot of butt."

_"Ffghffmh," _Aeolus insisted.

"She and Grey on their way here now, I think." A look of worry crossed Thetis's face. "But if they beat all three of you, then I'm a little worried about _me."_

Aeolus sighed and clunked the back of his head against the streetlamp he was tied to.

"Oh!" Thetis's face brightened, and he gestured at the ropes wrapped around Aeolus's everything. "Do you want me to get that for you?"

_No, of _course _not. Watching the last scraps of my dignity burn like Prometheus's hot dogs has been an enjoyable experience for me and I hope to prolong it for as long as I can, _said Aeolus's eye-roll.

"I get it, I get it," Thetis grumbled. _"Megamerge!" _A flash of light later and Thetis was using Model L's halberd to cut through the ropes, only being somewhat careful to avoid piercing Aeolus's skin. When Thetis finally loosened the gag, Aeolus spat the saliva-soaked wad of cloth at his fellow Mega Man's face.

Aeolus didn't even say anything. The glare he leveled on Thetis told of many death threats, all of which would be spoken in that frighteningly calm voice that Albert had used when Prometheus decided to be a pirate because pirates were free. (Incidentally, Prometheus wouldn't have been able to be a pirate even if Albert hadn't called him defective and locked him in the basement for two weeks. He got violently seasick, and Atlas's only skirt was never the same.)

Thetis stared back at Aeolus. The sound of explosions seemed to be getting closer.

"Uh, do you want me to help you find your clothes? I think Ashe and Grey are almost here." Thetis was just trying to be helpful, really he was, because he was certain that Aeolus didn't want Grey to see him in nothing but his tighty whities (wow, Aeolus liked briefs?), but Aeolus just scoffed and turned away with as much dignity as someone in their underwear could muster.

There was a low rumble before an explosion, louder than the rest, literally shook the road beneath Aeolus and Thetis's feet. They could hear a fully-charged buster shot go off, followed quickly by a _ping _and a loud, angry _"FUUUUUUUU—"_

"Or the Circrush could wake up and squish them. That's fine, too." Thetis disengaged from Model L and put his hands back in his pockets. "Better get comfy, Aeolus."

Aeolus was learning very quickly that there is no discreet way to look for your pants, and the spectacle became so sad that Thetis had to take pity on the poor boy. The blue-haired boy slipped off his oversized hoodie and threw it at Aeolus, who caught it with a look of confusion and slight disgust.

"Just put it on," Thetis said, adjusting his Mega Man jacket. He frowned at the tiny sleeveless thing. "I never liked these jackets. They're like glorified belly shirts."

Not dignifying that with a response, Aeolus put the sweatshirt on and tugged the hem over his underwear, his expression a flustered mix of embarrassment and anger. When Thetis stared at him like he was expecting a thank you, Aeolus turned away and said, "It smells like seawater."

* * *

><p><em>Um... my sincerest apologies for that. Aeolus deserved it, by the way. Fighting him in Expert mode is probably one of the worst things ever.<em>


End file.
